READ THE CITIZENS' VOICE

Digital Only Subscription
Read the digital e-Edition of The Citizens' Voice on your PC or mobile device, and have 24/7 access to breaking news, local sports, contests, and more at citizensvoice.com or on our mobile apps.

Digital Services
Have news alerts sent to your mobile device or email, read the e-Edition, sign up for daily newsletters, enter contests, take quizzes, download our mobile apps and see the latest e-circulars.

Contact Us
See department contacts, frequently asked questions, request customer service support, submit a photo or place an ad.

Advantage, Pens

Article Tools

Andrew Krech / The Citizens' Voice
Penguins' Carter Rowney, left, and Adam Payerl celebrate after Payerl's goal in the second period of Game 3 on Wednesday against Binghamton at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

WILKES-BARRE TWP. - It's probably just a myth with no basis in statistical fact, one of many associated with playoff hockey, but it's been repeated so many times, it seems to ring true.

A great save by a goaltender at one end of the ice frequently turns into a goal by one of his teammates at the other.

Peter Mannino made the save, Chuck Kobasew tipped in a Conor Sheary shot seconds later, and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins won 3-2 in overtime Wednesday night, taking a 2-1 lead on the Binghamton Senators in a best-of-five first-round playoff series.

The Penguins can close out the series in Game 4 at home Friday night.

"That's sometimes how it works in overtime," Kobasew said. "You look at last game. I thought we had a bunch of chances in overtime and they go down and score. We were fortunate to be on the other side of it tonight."

A few minutes into overtime, the third straight game in the series not decided in regulation, a puck eluded Kobasew on the right half-wall in the defensive zone. Binghamton collected it and moved it toward the net, where it bounced to Wacey Hamilton at the left post.

Hamilton had half a net to shoot at. Mannino lunged to somehow get a piece of it with his stick.

"Hockey is momentum," Mannino said. "As a goalie, you try to make that one save that could change momentum."

This one did. The Penguins counterattacked and Sheary, an undrafted amateur tryout from UMass-Amherst playing in his first pro playoff game, looped around the right point and wristed a shot on goal. Kobasew, camped out in the high slot, tipped past goalie Andrew Hammond and inside the left post.

"He made a great tip on it," Sheary said.

The Penguins, who were outplayed on special teams in the first two games, had their first power-play success of the series less than halfway into the first period Wednesday night.

Nick Drazenovic scored on a knee-drop one-timer from the bottom of the left faceoff circle off a cross-ice feed from Kobasew on a five-on-three advantage at 7:32.

The lead lasted 21 seconds.

Binghamton's penalty killers took down Simon Despres at the blue line and took off on a two-on-break on the next shift. Corey Cowick kept the puck and scored from the right wing to make it 1-1 at 7:53.

While the Penguins did give up the shorthanded goal, they kept Binghamton's dangerous power play in check. They killed one penalty at the end of the first period and another early in the second, then took the lead about 15 minutes later.

Adam Payerl took a drop pass from Carter Rowney near the top of the right faceoff circle and picked a corner on Hammond, making it 2-1 with 3:23 left in the second.

"Our PK came up big," coach John Hynes said. "Anytime you can hold that team to no power-play goals, your penalty kill did a hell of a job."

The Penguins held a territorial advantage in the third period, outshooting the B-Sens 10-7 and out-chancing them by an even greater margin, but the game was destined for overtime.

Darren Kramer, skating up the left wing with a defenseman in his face, tried to get a puck on net. It kicked off a skate directly to Jim O'Brien on the right wing, who was late entering the zone. O'Brien tied the score 2-2 on Binghamton's third shot of the period at the 10:58 mark.

"We felt like we played well," Hynes said. "It's one of those things. You're playing a real good team and they don't need a lot of opportunities to score. On that particular goal, it would up being a good break for them."

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.